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The Hidden General Stan McChrystal runs 'black ops.' Don't pass it on
Newsweek ^ | June 26, 2006 | Michael Hirsh and John Barry

Posted on 06/19/2006 1:46:19 PM PDT by RDTF

June 26, 2006 issue - No one would have mentioned his name at all if President George W. Bush hadn't singled him out in public. Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, West Point '76, is not someone the Army likes to talk about. He isn't even listed in the directory at Fort Bragg, N.C., his home base. That's not because McChrystal has done anything wrong—quite the contrary, he's one of the Army's rising stars—but because he runs the most secretive force in the U.S. military. That is the Joint Special Operations Command, the snake-eating, slit-their-throats "black ops" guys who captured Saddam Hussein and targeted Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.

JSOC is part of what Vice President Dick Cheney was referring to when he said America would have to "work the dark side" after 9/11. To many critics, the veep's remark back in 2001 fostered his rep as the Darth Vader of the war on terror and presaged bad things to come, like the interrogation abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay. But America also has its share of Jedi Knights who are fighting in what Cheney calls "the shadows." And McChrystal, an affable but tough Army Ranger, and the Delta Force and other elite teams he commands are among them.

After the Zarqawi strike, multinational forces spokesman Gen. Bill Caldwell refused to comment on JSOC's role, saying, "We don't talk about when special operating forces are involved." But when Bush revealed to reporters that it was McChrystal's Special Ops teams that had found Zarqawi, Caldwell had to gulp and say (to laughter), "If the president of the United States said it was, then I'm sure it was."

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqeda; bush; gwot; mcchrystal; supportthetroops; terrorism; wot
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To: jazusamo
Experts like former Deputy Defense secretary John Hamre are also concerned that Special Ops now has generic authority to deploy where it wants without case-by-case orders.

Here's a National Review from back in 1998 article by Bill Gertz on this Hamre character. Typical Clintonoid social activist who found the military "distasteful" at best.

21 posted on 06/19/2006 2:25:32 PM PDT by Ditto
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To: Thrusher
Yeah, you really really nailed it.

It was "Civilian Over Sight" that refused the Armor Reaction force the SOF people wanted in Somalia JUST to respond to a "Black Hawk Down" type situation. Basic operations principal for SOF types They will hang it all out but they want SOME chance to pull it out if it drops in the meat grinder. They usually want some heavy hitter on call to back them up.

But of course, typical Leftist Political type, he is never willing to accept the blame for the consequences of his stupidity.

Vietnam, Desert One, Black Hawk Down. Bosnia, Sudan, The Leftist Presidents from LBJ to Carter to Clinton fumbled just about EVERY time they demanded "Civilian Over Sight" of Operations.

What ever their other flaws, bless Bush 1 and 2 with the brains to manage the politics and leave Operations to the pros.

22 posted on 06/19/2006 2:34:24 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (The Democrat Party! For people who prefer slogans over solutions!)
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To: hsalaw

bttt


23 posted on 06/19/2006 2:34:32 PM PDT by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand; but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc. 10:2)
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To: Ditto

Thanks for the link to his Bio, it was much worse than I thought possible. He should be a social worker somewhere but I guess that's the type Clinton relied on.


24 posted on 06/19/2006 2:34:46 PM PDT by jazusamo (DIANA IREY for Congress, PA 12th District: Retire murtha.)
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To: RDTF

There's a guy named Hugo that should be very scared.


25 posted on 06/19/2006 2:48:42 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Afghan protest - "Death to Dog Washers!")
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To: rahbert

Rattlesnake tastes like chicken FWIW.


26 posted on 06/19/2006 3:18:24 PM PDT by BJClinton (There's plenty of room for all God's creatures, right next to the mashed potatoes.)
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To: RDTF

Another example of our irresponsible news media. Anything for a story.


27 posted on 06/19/2006 3:19:57 PM PDT by popdonnelly
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To: DevSix

Which is just another clear reason why SecDef Rumsfeld is the perfect man for the job in today's world.

funny I don't but a handful of team guys that want the current leadership you praise.

but I bet you have a great view from your couch


28 posted on 06/19/2006 3:33:56 PM PDT by rightofthefairway
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To: BJClinton

They say everything tastes like chicken. I must disagree, I think most stuff tasted like mush. I guess I'm a bad cook with "field" rations.

Now, with some spices, a little hot sauce, nice wood for coals we can get something right tasty going.


29 posted on 06/19/2006 3:34:44 PM PDT by PeteB570 (Guns, what real men want for Christmas)
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To: rightofthefairway; DevSix
I like my view from the couch. Only took me 21 years to get it. How about you DevSix?
30 posted on 06/19/2006 3:38:36 PM PDT by PeteB570 (Guns, what real men want for Christmas)
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To: PeteB570
MRE's for serious time away are field stripped (no heating packet, mini-tobasco, salt......) just one cold Meal Ready to Exit.
I actually like them though. pluss with all the extra heat packets you can make some cool piro fun with the magnesium
31 posted on 06/19/2006 3:38:38 PM PDT by rightofthefairway
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To: rightofthefairway
When I talk "field" rations I mean "Field".

Issue food would have been real nice. I'm talking frogs, minnows, little birds, snakes, and anything you could get your fingers on. Boiled in a canteen cup over crappy wood and it all tastes like mush.

Eaten Cs, LRRPs, Mountain Rations, MREs (1st & 2nd gen), tray packs, Hot As and they are all much better than the free range stuff. :-)
32 posted on 06/19/2006 3:43:44 PM PDT by PeteB570 (Guns, what real men want for Christmas)
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To: PeteB570

Love to know what someone with atag Devsix actually did for a living


33 posted on 06/19/2006 3:44:53 PM PDT by rightofthefairway
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To: rahbert
Wonder if they have snake flavor MRE's for these guys?

Sure. There's the traditional "stewed rattlesnake with potatos and carrots"; "Boa Loaf"; and my favorite "Anaconda Almondine."

34 posted on 06/19/2006 3:52:37 PM PDT by PsyOp (The commonwealth is theirs who hold the arms.... - Aristotle.)
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To: PsyOp; rahbert
Fixin' to start a new campaign with rahbert?

:-)

:-)
35 posted on 06/19/2006 4:09:29 PM PDT by PeteB570 (Guns, what real men want for Christmas)
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To: Thrusher
Um, didn't "Blackhawk Down" become a "Black Hawk Down" because of the "civilian oversight" not wanting to do soemthing un-PC, rather than just letting the military do its job?

That and Mr. Murphy - An additional fact that often gets completely ignored is our warriors kicked as$ that day - When things went to sh*t our guys cowboy'd the hell up and took the fight to'em - They did not lose whatsoever that day or that battle - They got their marks that were at the hit location and they brought them in -

It was the WH that turned tail and ran days later -

36 posted on 06/19/2006 4:27:32 PM PDT by SevenMinusOne
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To: DevSix

Mr. Hamare is watching too many episodes of "The Unit".


37 posted on 06/19/2006 4:48:35 PM PDT by damper99
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To: BJClinton
Rattlesnake tastes like chicken FWIW.

I second that. It didn't suck but I wouldn't go out of my way for it either. Gator is better. ;~))

38 posted on 06/19/2006 6:03:55 PM PDT by Ditto
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To: Diogenesis

???

The reason the mainstream media are going nuts on this is because it was President BUSH who talked. They are loving to bring attention to his breach.


39 posted on 06/19/2006 6:04:55 PM PDT by Gondring (If "Conservatives" now want to "conserve" our Constitution away, then I must be a Preservative!)
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To: popdonnelly
Another example of our irresponsible news media. Anything for a story.

Why is it irresponsible to report that President Bush decided to release this information? If the president made a correct choice, then it's good it's being told. If he did something he shouldn't have done, then it's good the media reported it, just like I'd like them to keep tabs on the lefties' follies.

40 posted on 06/19/2006 7:43:25 PM PDT by Gondring (If "Conservatives" now want to "conserve" our Constitution away, then I must be a Preservative!)
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